The present invention relates generally to an electrical outlet box for housing termination devices such as switches and receptacles. More particularly, the present invention relates to a non-metallic outlet box including a ground strap having a pair of ground screws thereon to accommodate the ground wires in the outlet box.
In terminating electrical conductors to termination devices such as switches, receptacles, ground fault circuit interrupters (GFI) and the like, terminations are typically supported within an electrical outlet box. The outlet box supports and encloses the termination device as well as the wires which are to be terminated thereto. All of the devices housed within the outlet box must be grounded. This requires a wire to be attached from the termination to a portion of the box which is attached to a ground conductor of the power wires fed to the box. With metal boxes, grounding may be accomplished by attaching the wire from the termination to the metal box which is itself attached to the ground conductor. With non-metallic plastic boxes however, a metallic ground strap must be provided within the box. The ground strap is connected to the ground conductor of the power wires fed to the box. Ground wires of the termination device may be attached to the ground strap in order to effect ground continuation between the ground wire and the device.
Typically, the ground straps are provided with a single screw. This ground screw would attach both the ground conductor of the power wires and the ground wire of the termination device. In certain situations where multiple termination devices are supported within a box, it is difficult to individually connect plural wires to a single screw. In addition, in certain situations, the power line is continued from one outlet box to another. In order to continue the ground wire from one box to the next, the ground screw must be undone and a new line must be attached to or continue the power to the next location. As may be appreciated, all of the grounding terminations may not be adequately accommodated by a single ground screw. Further, in prior boxes the single ground screw may be located next to the lip of the box making it difficult to terminate plural ground wires thereto.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an electrical outlet box for accommodating termination devices, where the termination devices may be grounded in the box.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide non-metallic outlet box for accommodating a termination device such as a switch or receptacle. The non-metallic box supports a metallic ground strap for permitting ground connection.
It is still further object of the present invention to provide an outlet box for accommodating termination devices such as switches or receptacles which provides a ground strap having a pair spaced apart mounting members for accommodating ground wire of the termination device.
In the efficient attainment of these and other objects, the present invention provides an electrical outlet box for accommodating electrical termination device. The outlet box includes a non-metallic outlet box housing having a back wall and a perimetrical side wall with an open front face defining a box interior. A metallic ground strap is supported by the housing within the box interior. The ground strap has an elongate portion including spaced apart mounting members in electrical continuity through the elongate portion. The mounting members are positioned to accommodate ground wires extending from the electrical termination device.
As more fully described in the preferred embodiment herein, the ground strap is an L-shaped member including a first leg supported on the back wall of the outlet box, and a second leg supported on the sidewall. The first leg of the ground strap includes a pair of spaced apart internally threaded apertures which accommodate ground screws. The outlet box assembly of the present invention permits the wires to be connected to the various ground screws thereby placing the wires in ground continuity without the need to attach the wires to the same ground screw.